Meet The Expert: George Zhuang, Viticulturist

George Zhuang, University of California viticulture farm advisor for Fresno County

George Zhuang, University of California viticulture farm advisor for Fresno County

George Zhuang recently joined University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) as a viticulture farm advisor for Fresno County. Originally from China, Zhuang studied viticulture and enology at China Agricultural University before attending Michigan State University for graduate school. After completing his graduate studies, Zhuang worked as a viticulture intern at E. & J. Gallo Winery. American/Western Fruit Grower caught up with him to find out what interests him about viticulture and his goals to help growers increase production using fewer resources.

Q: What interests you about viticulture and why?

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Zhuang: My initial interests in viticulture and enology came from the movie “A Walk in the Clouds.” The view of hilly vineyards and the butterfly dance in the movie with smoke to protect grapes from frost damage really motivated me to work in the vineyard. Later on, a wine-tasting class during the second year of my undergraduate studies impressed me with the knowledge that good wine is made in the vineyard. This convinced me to pursue a career in grape production.

Grapes are an agricultural commodity in which cultivation (viticulture), climate and soil can really influence the final products (table grapes, raisins and wine). The best grapes and wine come from the vineyard and hands of viticulturists. Even now, as mechanization becomes increasingly common in the San Joaquin Valley, Mother Nature and viticulturists’ hard work, skill and knowledge are still essential for the production of better-quality grapes and wine.

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Q: How familiar are you with California? With the San Joaquin Valley? What drew you to the place?

Zhuang: Before being offered this position in Fresno, I worked for a large commercial winery in Modesto as a viticulture intern in 2013 and 2014. I traveled to vineyards from Bakersfield to Sonoma, so I had some experience with the grape and wine industry in the San Joaquin Valley of California. The San Joaquin Valley is the biggest agricultural production region in the nation. The area is home to 95% of the state’s raisin and table grape vineyards and more than 50% of California winegrapes, so the San Joaquin Valley will be a paradise to work on grapes and develop my career. Having the potential to impact nearly 190,000 acres of grapes in Fresno is exciting to me and helped set my career path as a UCCE viticulture farm advisor.

Q: Are you very familiar with the industry?

Zhuang: I have limited experience in this area and with the industry here. For my first year as the UCCE Fresno viticulture farm advisor, my goal will be to reach as many growers and industry representatives as possible to identify the most important and urgent problems the industry will face.

Q: Do you think of yourself more as a researcher or a hands-on advisor?

Zhuang: Being in Extension, I will conduct applied research and work with growers to extend information. Both are valuable and necessary. The uniqueness and beauty of UC Cooperative Extension is that the farm advisors not only provide information from UC or other research sources, but they create research or scientific information locally to serve the industry as well. So I really like the fact we can do both Extension and research work to help the grape industry. While offering practical or scientific information to the clientele, we are also looking into the local problems by conducting trials on growers’ sites.

Q: Have you set any short-term goals as of yet? Any long-term goals?

Zhuang: For my short-term goals, I would like to reach as many growers, stakeholders and industry representatives as possible to identify the issues and challenges to shape my program for the first year. Later, based on feedback from the growers and industry, I am planning to conduct research to focus on the most challenging and important issues for the industry. For my long-term goals, understanding how to increase production (yield and quality) with fewer resources (water, labor and chemicals) will be my Extension and research priority to maintain the sustainability and competitiveness of our grape industry.

Q: As you know, grapes have been doing well of late. What can you bring to the table to help ensure growers’ continued success?

Zhuang: Valley grape growers are doing an excellent job maintaining their high yields and good quality in a tough environment with a competitive international market. What I can offer to growers from my Extension program is the delivery of practical science-based knowledge, either from the research resources of UC or from anywhere in the world.

Q: If the drought continues, some growers are going to take extreme measures. How can you help them?

Zhuang: I will focus on research and Extension efforts to help growers make the best use of the water they have.

Q: If you could have dinner with one well-known person who is either alive today or from the pages of history, who would it be? Why?

Zhuang: Pete Christensen. His tremendous work and contributions to support the growers and industry continue to help sustain them, so he is a legendary figure of San Joaquin Valley viticulture. I have heard a lot of stories about him from my colleagues in and out of California, and he began his career as a Fresno County farm advisor 50 years ago. If I could have dinner with him, I would like to talk with him and get his opinions about future viticulture research and Extension in the Valley.

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